Field of the invention: The invention resides in the field of bacteria detection and more particularly relates to a method and apparatus for real time indication of bacterial presence.
Description of the prior art: From the 1950""s through the early 1970""s, most of the recognized causes of foodborne diseases and outbreaks were related to handling of foodstuff, for example, contaminated hands, insufficient cooking and improper storage by consumers or improper food preparation. In the 1990""s, it is more frequent that single source outbreaks come from unsafe sources of food. The Center For Disease Control has estimated that each American has had at least one episode of foodbome disease per year, whether it is recognized or not. Another estimate projected that, annually, between 8 and 80 million people experience foodborne illnesses and some 9,000 die.
Present methods of bacterial detection known to the inventors include incubation, DNA polymerase chain reaction, toxin detection, and protein product degradation. In contrast to the above, we have devised a real time method to detect the presence of the major bacteria known to be the cause of foodbome disease, common source outbreaks and bacterial foodstuff spoilage.
The method of detecting bacteria we have devised is also directly applicable to ensuring the sterility of medical packaging, the safety of bottled water, biological weapons detection, drug testing and the safety of surgical suites.
The detection method of the invention is based on means to detect the production of CO2, a gas normally produced during the life processes of bacteria responsible for foodborne illnesses. The detection means comprises a package which is placed in close proximity to foodstuff of concern at the point of sale or consumer level. The method of detection is the use of a pH indicator which will respond to the presence of CO2 gas by a change in color. An indicator is placed under currently utilized packaging for products such as meat, fish, chicken, turkey and pork, in the middle layer of a three layer package for milk, and as a button in a bottle cap for many juices. The indicator in the packaging will not affect the integrity of the foodstuff. Our detection method is applicable to the major known bacteria which taint food and cause foodborne illnesses. A large number of chemical indicators which will serve the purpose of the invention are available and will be disclosed in detail in the description of the preferred embodiment which follows.